Stay dry on the cheap

[The Monkey King’s
“Bike Cape” poncho
will set you back $10.]

Two local cyclists have come up with inexpensive ways to stay dry while you ride.

Larry Williams opened up The Monkey King (3534 SE Hawthorne) a few years ago by importing furniture and fine arts from China. Now the store sells all sorts of eclectic and funky furnishings.

On a recent trip in China, Williams noticed that when it rained, all the cyclists put on ponchos. That was his lightbulb moment,

“It struck me right then that ponchos would be perfect for the Pacific Northwest.”

The result is his $10 Bike Cape. It’s a basic poncho made out of waterproof PVC that has an adjustable hood, reflective strip, and a handlebar clip so it doesn’t fly off. You can find them at local bike shops all around Portland (I first saw them at Revolver Bikes on N. Interstate).

If a poncho isn’t your thing, how about a pair of chaps?

Several years ago, Portlander Ken Nelson realized that only the tops of his thighs and his knees got wet when he rode in the rain. That realization led him to invent his DryHigh Rain Chaps.

[Ken Nelson’s patent-pending Rain Chaps are simple and only cost $5.]

These nifty chaps are made from extra-thick polyethylene plastic, the same material as shopping bags.

You can check them out at Coventry Cycle Works (2025 SE Hawthorne) and Veloce Bicycles.

I haven’t tried either of these products. If anyone has experience with them, feel free to chime in.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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greenguy
greenguy
17 years ago

That doesn’t sound too wasteful…

beth
17 years ago

I hate to be a nay-sayer. I do.

I appreciate the need for thriftiness. I am making my own shoe covers from recycled nylon briefcase material, and I tend to wear things untl they wear out as a general rule.

But I just have to say that a rain garment made of pvc or very thin, cheap nylon simply won’t last long in our Portland winters. What happens when these things wear out in only a month or two from daily use on the bike?

They might be repaired — perhaps with adhesive tape or something — but the more likely scenario is that they’ll end up in the trash. In the landfill. Partly because of the very low price, and partly because of the materials used, I worry that these garments will be seen from the start as “disposable”.

This winter, I replaced my rain jacket — after eight seasons. The old jacket was ripped and patched and ripped and patched again. It finally has gotten to the point where it no longer keeps me dry, even with treating. When this jacket was new, it replaced one that I’d used for nearly ten years. The first jacket was cut up and recycled into some ditty bags for camping. The second jacket still hangs on the hook, waiting for a purposeful re-use. I’d really like to see more bicycle accessories that encourage this approach, even if they cost a little more up front. I suspect that the money I’ve saved in the long run beats the money saved at time of purchase by buying something cheap.
Just my two cents.

ip
ip
17 years ago

+1 for the bike cape.
I have used it in the rain for the past 6 months and it works great.

Mo
Mo
17 years ago

I’ve been carrying ponchos for a while as emergency wet wear. They also are great for covering your bike when you park. Start with putting the hood over the seat and it drapes nicely over the average bike.

I agree on avoiding the made-to-be-disposed ponchos.

brad
brad
17 years ago

I don’t see how this has any functional advantage to a rain jacket, and it would greatly increase wind resistance. If it was clipped to the handlebars, you’d end up acting as a giant sail. And I’m sorry, but rain chaps are a freaking joke….if it’s wet enough that you want to stay dry, you wear rain pants. What’s the point of buying/using something that will keep half of your legs dry while the other half still gets soaked, and then wicks into the covered area anyway. I guess the upside to all of this is that if you wore the cape and chaps some people might mistake you for a super hero. Or a garbage bag blowing down the road 😉

Dabby
Dabby
17 years ago

I also must say that this is far from the effective rain gear needed here in the NW.
What is handy here is breathable, comfortable rain gear that properly fits, not sweat inducing, flappy and uncontrollable poncho’s.
To each his own of course, but I see them (and have tried them for sure) as neither effective, or safe, as there is a lot of fabric flapping around to grab random bike parts, and cause a crash..
On another note, if I see someone riding in a big poncho, I give them a wide berth, as in forseeing a hazard…

JayS,
JayS,
17 years ago

Personaly I think a poncho made of non breathable fabric will provide more ventilation than most any breathable rain jacket/pants option. If speed is not your need this seems like a great idea to me. ALso a must have for a poncho is good fenders
JayS.

Toby
Toby
17 years ago

I find that rain capes can be quite nice, but only if there’s little or no wind. They certainly aren’t ‘sweat inducing’ since lots of air moves under them (you may even have to dress a little more warmly). I have a yellow Carradice which I use every once in the while, and it has the notable advantage of keeping me and most of the bike dry no matter how hard it rains. But it is a real sail in high winds, and thus not so practical as a general solution.
The chaps aren’t a bad idea – my problem with rainpants or tights is that you can’t really put them on in the middle of a ride. I think a better approach to chaps would be more like normal rainpants, but with velcro running all the way down the rear seam, so you could get into them in a hurry.

pdxMark
pdxMark
17 years ago

Rain capes are a well-regarded, effective form of rain protection that keeps the torso dry without overheating. One key to their effectiveness is full fenders. A full front fender would eliminate a “shower from below,” and a rear fender will help keep the cape from being caught in the rear wheel. I’ll stick with my Burley rain jacket as long it lasts, but a rain cape would be a nice option for someone who rides a fendered bike in “normal” clothes.

Norman
Norman
17 years ago
steelsreal
steelsreal
17 years ago

I must agree that I think these things are ridiculous!

That having been said, I am surprised no one has mentioned the Center for Approprite Transport in Eugene. It is a non-profit umbrella, that supports many wonderful things, including a charter school.

One of the projects at the school is a poncho business. Made in Oregon, by at-risk students. They run the company as well as produce the gear.

If you need to wear one of these for lord knows what reason, this would be a swell place to acquire one!

http://www.catoregon.org/catstore/00fsetponcho.htm

alex
alex
17 years ago

I would not purchase one based on the material it is manufactured from. PVC is a horrible material, like all vinyl. The environmental impact is unconscionable.

JeffH
JeffH
17 years ago

Argh! Someone stole my idea for rain chaps!!!

Well, perhaps not “stole”. I’m pretty excited that someone is finally making some.

parker
parker
17 years ago

Rain capes made in Oregon are available at
http://www.bicycleclothing.com/Rain-Capes.html
and
http://www.catoregon.org/catstore/00fsetponcho.htm
The British Carradice capes are available at:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/carradice.asp
along with a good helmet cover and “spats” which cover one’s feet, lower legs, and knees (the cape keeps one’s upper legs dry). The spats have a full-length two-way zipper in back and also velcro ties.
I have the Carradice outfit and it’s part of my selection of rain gear. The cape takes a bit of getting used to because it covers the handlebars (it has loops to hook over one’s thumbs; I hook them over my bar-end extensions). It’s my favorite combo for “no sweat” riding in rainy but not windy conditions around town here in Corvallis. “Your mileage may vary.”

Adams Carroll (News Intern)
17 years ago

by the way, I didn’t mention it in the article, but I’ve got a pair of RainLegs.

They’re made in the UK. They work and they’re well designed…but yeah, my legs do find a way to get wet in other places…but the rainlegs/chaps idea is nice and minimalist.

trike
trike
17 years ago

A good set of hally hansons. not the stupid nylon garbage but he rubberized canves set.
or a wet suit.

either you are going to be dry or you are going to be wet; you might as well embrace it.

Todd of Bikestation
Todd of Bikestation
17 years ago

I have long used a poncho for wet weather riding. It is a great way to stay dry in humid areas like Hawaii and here in the NW.

The Carradice and CAT type ponchos are best for bike riding as they have a waist tie and thumb loops. City Bikes sells Carradice ponchos here. I am not sure if CAT has a local distributor for their ponchos yet.

The key for using ponchos vs. jackets is to have an uprite ride posture, not drop handle bars, modest to slow speeds, fenders, and little to no wind. Ponchos are not good combined with backpacks or messenger bags.

And try to avoid caps with hoods if you are going to use a helmet.

spider
spider
17 years ago

i have used a poncho while on a month long bike trip to scotland in the 80s. this after experimenting with breathable raingear. the poncho won. it was pvc and lasted many, many years.
used one for everyday bike riding in the netherlands, and the cape never caused a problem, except when there was a lot of wind. going in the right direction, it helps to have a sail.

Paul S
17 years ago

I’m living in Xiamen China right now and can add a little re: ponchos. They’re intended for certain kinds of riding, i.e. slowly, on a bike with good fenders. Even then, your feet and legs probably still get a little wet.

They work OK on electric bikes, scooters, and old-model Chinese bikes, all of which have good wheel coverage preventing spatter from traveling upward. They do produce a lot of drag, and gusts can catch them from the underside and make them unstable (imagine an umbrella turned inside out).

You see a lot of scooter accidents on stormy days, because many scooter/electricbike riders put their feet up under the poncho (to keep their legs dry), and can’t get them down quick enough when the wind upsets the bike.

All that said, they ARE really popular here, and they certainly are cheap. They’d be great for touring.

Ken Nelson
17 years ago

I’m the maker of the rain chaps and after reading up through response #20 I have three things to say:

1. If treated well they will last a good long while, but when they do wear out, please recycle.

2. Everyone has their own particular biking lifestyle and I think these chaps would fit into the particular biking lifestyle of many.

3. Yes indeed, a back fender is an important thing to have.

My website went up for the first time only a week ago and I now know that there are a number of improvements that need to be made. Two of them are: ask people to recycle, and, get a back fender on that bike drawing.

This is a lot of fun. I’m enjoying it a lot.

Ken

Keith
Keith
16 years ago

I get so sick of these know it all, environmental superheroes, that think they can weigh in on every issue with authority. For one thing the above rain cape costs 10.00, it is considered a disposable unit!!!! As a matter of fact why not buy 2 or 3 to have extra\’s. Bug on the environment!!! The factory that produced your bicycles probably polluted the environment more than this rain cape. Another thing is, not everyone is comfortable looking like a moron in spandex and lycra, and not everyone can afford 200.00 or more for \”breathable\” rain gear. Seeing that any rain gear that works and is breathable is probably Gore-Tex. So bug on you all who think you know everything. Let people buy what they want and mind your own damn business!

Dave
15 years ago

The one thing I can see with this particular poncho, is that it looks like it would cover up just about any kind of front headlight you might put on your bike, as it looks like it drapes down really far in the front – which would make you illegal in Oregon, if I remember right.

tatter
tatter
14 years ago

Keith,
“Let people buy what they want and mind your own damn business!”???
what are you doing here?
you obviously can’t even follow your own limited thinking.

in My opinion yer a prat.
you, and all the other “disposable units” America is up to its eyeballs in, are tiring in the extreme.
piss on the environment if you must, but at least admit that you do so because you’d rather not be bothered to think creatively about how to avoid it. thinking creatively takes energy, your knee-jerk reaction to effort is a hallmark of our deteriorating country.

Pat
Pat
13 years ago

I made a rain cape similar to this, but a few inches longer on all sides. Also, it was made from clear heavy vinyl material normally used to catch spilled paint. Hardiest part was making the correct neck size. Works fine no matter the strength of wind or rain.

http://www.bicycleclothing.com/Rain-Capes.html